Just when you thought that a project had been discarded and totally forgotten, the idea for it is suddenly re-ignited. The re-ignition key I am referring to is that which would propel motor racing cars at high velocity around the Llucmajor countryside. The one with his foot on the throttle, albeit tentatively, is Llucmajor's mayor, Joan Jaume Mulet. Yep, the idea for the Formula One racing track has made a comeback.
This is an idea which has been doing the circuit for years and was one which, four years ago, began to look as though it might just be a goer, albeit that the might was a fairly large might. It was at least 90 million euros' worth of might plus all manner of planning permission mights and the not insignificant might of Bernie Ecclestone pressing the green lights. But, might or no might, the Council of Mallorca, then under the control of PSOE, turned the red light on. The idea for the track was stopped in its tracks and limped into the pit lane of rejected projects. The Council deemed a proposal for what would have been more or less a totally new circuit (the current one being inadequate for Formula One or Moto GP) as not having been "in the general interest". Despite funding that would have been 100% private, the plan was turned down because development would have been on rustic land.
However, it is a project that hasn't entirely been abandoned. It would appear that the process was paralysed as opposed to having been scrapped. It is for this reason, plus ongoing interest from developers (according to the mayor), that Llucmajor town hall has once more raised the possibility of Mallorca getting an F1 circuit.
Since this project paralysis in 2011, things have changed. On the positive side, there is the fact that the Council is now run by the Partido Popular, and Jaume is a good PP boy who may well be eyeing up a nice popular initiative a few months in advance of the next elections. Less positive is the fact that he may have left things a bit late; the Council could easily pass to a non-PP administration next spring. Also less positive is the future of the European Grand Prix. There had been ambitions for Llucmajor taking this away from Valencia. As things have turned out, Valencia no longer has the grand prix, which itself is in abeyance until its planned revival in Azerbaijan in 2016.
Jaume has reminded us that he once had a meeting with Ecclestone at which his Bernieness said that he was really interested in staging a grand prix in Mallorca. Which may well have been what Bernie had to say for himself, but then he has had a habit of saying things which shouldn't entirely be taken as gospel. Like another sporting supremo, Sepp Blatter, he can say one thing but think or do totally the opposite. He has also said in the past that he was against there being more than one grand prix per country. This didn't stop Valencia having the European GP, but such an attitude put the kibosh on Rome pressing for a street grand prix. (Italy already has Monza, just as Spain already has Barcelona.)
A further change since 2011 has been the approval of the Balearics' "Ley del Suelo", the first true land law that the islands have had. Its provisions are enormous, as you would expect with any legislation, but they are relatively permissive. Jaume may well feel that the legislation may clear the way for the project to be unparalysed and to be declared as being "in the general interest". This said, a project such as an F1 circuit would have its opponents, and heading the opposition would be the environmental lobby. Even with greater legislative clout, one could foresee any approval ending up going through interminable court appeals. That is how it is in Mallorca, and Bernie, getting on now, might not be around to learn how those appeals go.
A Formula One Grand Prix would be a fabulous event for Mallorca to stage. I say this not as any great fan of F1 (because I'm not) but because It would be an excellent advertisement for the island. The chances of it ever becoming a reality, though, are extremely remote. Environmental objections are only one reason why. Another, perhaps more important one, is why would F1 want a grand prix in Mallorca? Bernie may have said kind words, but Bernie is attracted to places like Azerbaijan because it represents expansion and because it has mega-moolah. Despite some people believing that Mallorca is on the cusp of being transformed into the Dubai of the Mediterranean (which it isn't), and grand though it would be if there were a grand prix, it fails the Bernie test in most ways.
Showing posts with label Grand Prix. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grand Prix. Show all posts
Friday, September 05, 2014
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Mallorca's Political Formula One
While sport for all may be being brought into question because of the lack of financing of Mallorca's sports facilities, sport for an elite poses its own question: is Mallorca really going to get a Formula One circuit?
Long in the suggestion, the regional government is, as it said it would, giving the proposal a serious once-over. The seriousness of this once-over has to do with the financing of a circuit, the government hoping that, were it a real goer, the money would be mainly or totally private.
When the idea for the circuit was doing the rounds last year, the cost of the project was put at some 90 million euros. A plan has in fact been drawn up, one that would pretty much completely re-develop the Rennarena in Llucmajor, which currently is totally inadequate for F1.
The plan would, for example, require a lengthening of the circuit by almost three kilometres plus creating grandstands capable of holding way more than the existing 1500 spectators. As with any plan for a building project, there are the inevitable procedures. The government says it will look at how this bureaucracy can be tackled, which probably means ignoring any planning issues. Already, one can hear the sound of GOB and other environmental protectors revving up their engines (with bio-fuel) in the protest pit lanes.
But talk of finance and procedures are only partially relevant. The chances of Mallorca's F1 circuit ever even getting onto the starting-grid of potential grand prix, let alone being shown the green lights, have to be slim.
Bernie Ecclestone has been courted and Bernie has made some encouraging remarks, but then Bernie says all sorts of things. One of them is that he is against there being more than one grand prix per country. This hasn't stopped Spain from currently having two - the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona and the European Grand Prix around Valencia's street circuit - but Rome has pretty much given up on staging a street race from 2013 since a letter from Ecclestone in an Italian newspaper said that "no one" wanted two races per country (Italy already has Monza).
It also hasn't stopped the USA being awarded two grand prix from 2013 - the revived US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas and a so-called Grand Prix of America in New Jersey. However, and despite F1 not being particularly popular in the USA, Ecclestone is largely motivated by commercial opportunities and by a desire to develop F1 geographically.
With these motivations in mind, where does a grand prix in Mallorca fit in? What is being hoped for in Mallorca is that it would replace Valencia as the location for the European Grand Prix. Valencia's contract lasts until the 2013 race, though it has been rumoured it might be dropped after next year. So there may well be some substance to the Mallorcan hope. But it is one based on an assumption that there will still be a European Grand Prix. Rome probably saw this as its chance, but, and notwithstanding the American contradiction, Ecclestone is opposed to another race in Italy and may well see the end of Valencia as a reason to scrap the European Grand Prix.
There is significant competition from across the globe for circuits to be included in the F1 calendar, some of it from other countries in Europe. Croatia, for example, has its eyes on a grand prix. This competition merely adds to F1's commercial and global ambitions in raising serious doubts as to whether Mallorca is a realistic option.
Given all this, therefore, should the government really be giving the proposal a serious once-over? The investment, were it to be private, wouldn't be an issue, although the environmental objections are bound to be. But why would there be investment without any guarantee of success in securing a grand prix? It might be that, were the circuit designed appropriately or flexibly enough, it could also stage MotoGP, which is Spanish-dominated in terms of who runs it and the number of races - four in Spain for next year's calendar. MotoGP isn't F1, however; either its cachet or its cash.
The proposal isn't particularly realistic, and one has the impression that its discussion both before the regional elections and now has been for political consumption. Former president Matas wanted a grand prix as well; one to be held on a Palma street circuit. That was an absurdity. Llucmajor isn't, but the stewards flags should nevertheless be being waved furiously and warning that all the talk may just be PR and a raising of expectations that cannot be fulfilled.
Any comments to andrew@thealcudiaguide.com please.
Long in the suggestion, the regional government is, as it said it would, giving the proposal a serious once-over. The seriousness of this once-over has to do with the financing of a circuit, the government hoping that, were it a real goer, the money would be mainly or totally private.
When the idea for the circuit was doing the rounds last year, the cost of the project was put at some 90 million euros. A plan has in fact been drawn up, one that would pretty much completely re-develop the Rennarena in Llucmajor, which currently is totally inadequate for F1.
The plan would, for example, require a lengthening of the circuit by almost three kilometres plus creating grandstands capable of holding way more than the existing 1500 spectators. As with any plan for a building project, there are the inevitable procedures. The government says it will look at how this bureaucracy can be tackled, which probably means ignoring any planning issues. Already, one can hear the sound of GOB and other environmental protectors revving up their engines (with bio-fuel) in the protest pit lanes.
But talk of finance and procedures are only partially relevant. The chances of Mallorca's F1 circuit ever even getting onto the starting-grid of potential grand prix, let alone being shown the green lights, have to be slim.
Bernie Ecclestone has been courted and Bernie has made some encouraging remarks, but then Bernie says all sorts of things. One of them is that he is against there being more than one grand prix per country. This hasn't stopped Spain from currently having two - the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona and the European Grand Prix around Valencia's street circuit - but Rome has pretty much given up on staging a street race from 2013 since a letter from Ecclestone in an Italian newspaper said that "no one" wanted two races per country (Italy already has Monza).
It also hasn't stopped the USA being awarded two grand prix from 2013 - the revived US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas and a so-called Grand Prix of America in New Jersey. However, and despite F1 not being particularly popular in the USA, Ecclestone is largely motivated by commercial opportunities and by a desire to develop F1 geographically.
With these motivations in mind, where does a grand prix in Mallorca fit in? What is being hoped for in Mallorca is that it would replace Valencia as the location for the European Grand Prix. Valencia's contract lasts until the 2013 race, though it has been rumoured it might be dropped after next year. So there may well be some substance to the Mallorcan hope. But it is one based on an assumption that there will still be a European Grand Prix. Rome probably saw this as its chance, but, and notwithstanding the American contradiction, Ecclestone is opposed to another race in Italy and may well see the end of Valencia as a reason to scrap the European Grand Prix.
There is significant competition from across the globe for circuits to be included in the F1 calendar, some of it from other countries in Europe. Croatia, for example, has its eyes on a grand prix. This competition merely adds to F1's commercial and global ambitions in raising serious doubts as to whether Mallorca is a realistic option.
Given all this, therefore, should the government really be giving the proposal a serious once-over? The investment, were it to be private, wouldn't be an issue, although the environmental objections are bound to be. But why would there be investment without any guarantee of success in securing a grand prix? It might be that, were the circuit designed appropriately or flexibly enough, it could also stage MotoGP, which is Spanish-dominated in terms of who runs it and the number of races - four in Spain for next year's calendar. MotoGP isn't F1, however; either its cachet or its cash.
The proposal isn't particularly realistic, and one has the impression that its discussion both before the regional elections and now has been for political consumption. Former president Matas wanted a grand prix as well; one to be held on a Palma street circuit. That was an absurdity. Llucmajor isn't, but the stewards flags should nevertheless be being waved furiously and warning that all the talk may just be PR and a raising of expectations that cannot be fulfilled.
Any comments to andrew@thealcudiaguide.com please.
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